With immediacy, exhilaration and eloquence, theater can take audiences to places real and imagined. Students of theater must study the human condition and understand how social forces affect individual behavior. They must practice technical skills and performance techniques.
Our vibrant theater program is renowned for training students in all performance areas by offering a strong curriculum and production program. You can begin your training through various courses that immediately place you in front of audiences, including Fundamentals of Acting, Stage Movement, Acting for the Camera and Intermediate Acting or you can join Oakton’s very own improvisation troupe, “OMG.”
Do you prefer to work behind the scenes? Gain experience by working backstage in productions, building sets on a stage crew and further your behind the scenes knowledge with courses like Stagecraft I and Directing.
Whether it’s performing in front of the audience on stage, acting through the camera lens or working behind the scenes, students in the theater curriculum will gain a wealth of experience and understanding in all aspects of theater.
Questions? Contact Professor Robert Gynn at bgynn@oakton.edu or 847.635.1843.
The 18-semester-hour theater concentration is designed for students with an interest in theater. Students will experience different learning pedagogies within a common theme as they complete their general education requirements and prepare for transfer with a solid knowledge base and concentrated portfolio in the performing arts. The curriculum includes a core of fundamental courses in acting and stagecraft, along with multiple options for courses in speech, humanities, and literature, many of which have IAI transfer codes.
Our pre-major program will prepare you to continue your performing arts studies after earning your associate in arts (A.A.). Students who finish this program are eligible to receive a notation on their transcript if they've completed all requirements for our special theater concentration program during their pre-major studies. Learn more about requirements for an associate in arts degree and the theater pre-major in our catalog below.
Pre-majors are recommended for students planning to complete a Bachelor’s degree after transferring to a four-year institution and are designed for students who have not yet decided on a specific four-year college or university. Career options in this field reflect the salaries and opportunities available to students upon completing their Bachelor’s degree.
To see specific Transfer Path agreements that Oakton has made with partner universities, please see the Transfer Partnerships and Guides.
For additional support with transfer planning, including course selection and educational planning, please contact the office of Advising, Transitions, and Student Success. The Career & Transfer Center (CTC) offers additional resources for students preparing to transfer to four-year colleges or universities.
Enrolling at Oakton College can save you thousands of dollars and help you earn more over the course of your career. Our tuition is among the lowest in the region, and we offer many ways to bring your costs down even more.
99 percent of Oakton students graduate without debt.
To help you get there, you can apply for a scholarship, which you don’t have to pay back. We award $12 million in scholarships annually. Financial Aid includes grants, loans, and other forms of financial assistance that can reduce your costs of attending college.
We offer payment options that give you control over how you pay. Pay all at once or spread your payments over the course of the semester.
Learn more about your options for paying for your education
Robert Gynn
Chair, Speech, Theater and Music Department
Professor of Speech and Theater
B.A. DePauw University
M.A.T. Beloit College
M.S.C. Northwestern University
bgynn@oakton.edu
847-635-1843
Office 2612, Des Plaines
Carey, Veronda
Associate Professor of Speech and Theater
B.A. Roosevelt University
M.F.A. West Virginia University
vcarey@oakton.edu
847.376.7428
Room 2554, Des Plaines
Christy Carter
Associate Professor of Speech and Theater
B.A. Northern Illinois University
M.Ed. Loyola University
M.A. Northeastern University
ccarter@oakton.edu
847.635.7214
Room 2602, Des Plaines
Ringstad-Gagliano, Mary
Professor of Speech and Theater
B.A. University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point
M.F.A. Ohio University
ringstad@oakton.edu
847.376.7092
Room 2602, Des Plaines
Meet our part-time faculty:
Curtis, Tim
Lecturer
B.A. Towson University
M.F.A. Indiana University
tcurtis@oakton.edu
847.635.1950
Room 2430, Des Plaines
Fliess, Jason
Lecturer
B.A. Point Park University
M.F.A. DePaul University
jfliess@oakton.edu
847.635.1910
Room B206, Skokie
Gaitsch, Tom
Lecturer
B.F.A. Illinois Wesleyan University
M.F.A. Indiana University
tgaitsch@oakton.edu
847.635.1950
Room 2430, Des Plaines
Wirth, Daniel
Lecturer
B.S. Central Michigan University
M.F.A. University of California - San Diego
dwirth@oakton.edu
847.635.1950
Room 2430, Des Plaines
In addition to classroom learning, students can take the stage at Oakton's modern performing arts center (PAC) for hands-on learning on our Des Plaines campus.
